Understanding the value of host-guest intimacy behind online reviews of Airbnb

This study examined the relationship between host-guest intimacy (HGI) and sharing accommodation satisfaction (SAS) using a novel mixed-method approach of grounded theory techniques, natural language processing, and big data analysis based on 46,765 Airbnb online reviews from 3105 sharing properties in New York. Using Airbnb online reviews, a conceptual model was developed to explore the HGI-SAS relationship and quantify HGI. The findings demonstrated that in positive intimacy, behavior, place, emotion, and culture all have a significant effect on SAS via the generalized method of moments (GMM) regression, whereas only behavior and place in negative intimacy have a significant effect on SAS, demonstrating the importance and distinction of HGI in sharing accommodation.